Pheffer Says West Side’s The Stadium Place

Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer has joined a number of other Queens elected officials in backing a new stadium for the Jets and the Olympics on the west side of Manhattan.

The nine elected officials put their sentiments about the stadium in a recent letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

“We would like to reiterate our strong support for the construction of the New York Sports and Convention Center on Manhattan’s far West Side because that is where it would have the greatest positive impact on our city,” the Queens legislators wrote.

Pheffer, however, says that she would be supporting the Queens stadium if there was any realistic chance that it would be built.

“If they wanted to come to Queens, I would be in the front of the line welcoming them,” Pheffer told The Wave on Thursday. “I’ve spoken with the Jets and with the mayor and they’re not at all interested in coming to Queens. For them, Queens is not an option.”

Given that fact, Pheffer says, she supports the Manhattan stadium.

“I have done a lot of research on this issue, spoken with the mayor, with the Jets, with the unions and, the Olympics aside, I want an improved Javits Center that would include the stadium,” she said. “It is very important to New York’s economy, to its tourism, that we have a larger, expanded Javits Center that includes the stadium.”

“In addition,” she says. “I would really love New York City to have a football team again.”

Pheffer said that some of the problems facing the west side stadium trouble her.

“The MTA has to look at what the sale would do for them and for the commuters of New York,” she said. “In the long-term, I believe the west side stadium is the best option for the economic growth of New York City ”

They add that a new stadium in Queens would create environmental problems as well as an unwanted increase in traffic in an already heavily traveled area.